THERE were 383 suicides in Ireland in 1995, an increase of 30 on the previous year, according to the interim report of the National Task Force on Suicide.
Despite past claims that official figures underestimate the situation by 20 per cent or more, the task force is "absolutely satisfied" that the current understatement amounts to about 5 per cent or less. The task force said that between 1976 and 1992, the rise in the suicide rate was "particularly remarkable" among young males aged 15 to 24.
The Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, who launched the interim report yesterday, said the increase in reported suicides over the past two decades was a matter of growing national concern. "If help is to be made available to those at risk, it is essential that reliable information should be available on the occurrence of, and factors associated with, suicidal behaviour."
Mr Noonan did not know why so many people committed suicide in Ireland, saying this was why the task force had been set up. When the common factors causing suicide were established they could be eliminated, reducing the numbers.
The task force recommended amending form 104 which is completed by gardai and returned to the Central Statistics Office in each case of death due to external causes. This form provides the basis for completion of statistics on suicides. It is now recommended that that the form be amended to elicit additional information on the social and personal circumstances of each suicide. This additional information could facilitate a better understanding of cause and more effective prevention, the task force says.
The report of the task force, set up in November, 1995, contains a detailed analysis of statistics relating to suicide and attempted suicide. The interim report addresses the first two terms of reference of the task force, to define numerically and qualitatively the nature of suicide in Ireland and to quantify the problems of attempted suicide.
It will now concentrate on its other terms of reference.